Athletic ESB sits in the middle ground of Athletic's range, neither as light as the golden ale nor as dark as the stout. It's a fairly faithful take on the English ESB template: amber-copper in the glass, with a malt bill that puts caramel and biscuit forward and hops that play a supporting role. The aroma carries caramel and toasted grain, with a light herbal hop note behind it. On the palate the caramel sweetness arrives first, then settles into biscuit and toasted grain as the herbal bitterness cuts through. The balance between malt and hop is what the style calls for: nothing dominates. The finish is dry and lightly bitter, with the malt stepping back cleanly rather than clinging. Brewed with malted barley and wheat. A reliable pint for anyone who finds IPAs too aggressive or lagers too thin.